Indianapolis Colts

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Josh Downs leads his team in targets (71) and yards per game (63.0). Quarterback Anthony Richardson looked his way five times in Week 11 and Downs caught all five balls for 84 yards and a touchdown. Coming into the contest with a 44.4% completion rate, there were concerns about Richardson's ability to get his receivers the ball, but he proved that he could still do it, even against a strong Jets pass defense (20-for-30, 66.7%). The Colts are seven-point underdogs for Sunday's contest against the Lions so there should be plenty of opportunities for Downs as the offense tries to keep pace with Detroit. With five catches in six of nine games played and the clear No. 1 receiver, the former third-round draft pick has a pretty reliable floor. While he popped up on the injury report this week as dealing with a calf issue, the UNC product was a full participant in practice on Thursday and Friday and was cleared to play. The second-year pro sets up as a back-end WR2 this week with some small upside given his ability to find the zone (four TDs in 2024).

Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor was held to under 100 total yards rushing and receiving last Sunday for the second time in three weeks. While Week 12's showdown with the Lions looks like another tough matchup on paper, with the Lions allowing the fifth-fewest rushing yards per game thus far and the fourth-fewest fantasy points to running backs, if the Colts wish to keep this game close then they will have to run the ball to kill the clock and limit Detroit's opportunities, which in turn should benefit the 25-year-old. If the game gets out of reach, however, the Colts will find themselves in catch-up mode using the passing game, which Taylor has not been heavily involved in to this point, averaging less than two receptions per game for less than 14 yards per contest. Nevertheless, the talented former second-round draft pick projects as a back-end RB1 this week.

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson is coming off his best fantasy performance since Week 1 after accounting for three touchdowns in Week 11. In Week 12, the Colts draw the Lions and they will be seven-point home underdogs in a game that features a high expected total (50). Although the 22-year-old completed 67% of his passes last week, he still has just a 48.5% completion rate for the season, so Indy would prefer to not have to play catch-up all day through the air. Look for the Colts to attempt to keep the ball out of Jared Goff's hands by sticking to the run for as long as possible, as difficult a task as that may be against a rush defense that has allowed the fifth-fewest rush yards per game this season. Still, Richardson should have a decent floor with his rushing ability and has a decent chance to score if they get down close. View the former first-round draft pick as a high-end QB2, with his rushing ability giving him QB1 upside this week.

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Adonai Mitchell had a quiet Sunday afternoon in the team's 28-27 win over the New York Jets. The rookie was able to catch one of his two targets for a big gain of 33 yards and received one carry for two yards. The Colts' offense was able to outduel the Jets in a big way as Anthony Richardson threw 20-for-30 with 272 yards. Mitchell just hasn't built consistent chemistry and remains lower in the pecking order compared to Michael Pittman Jr., Josh Downs, and Alec Pierce. He'll look to break off some big plays against a tough Detroit Lions defense in Week 12.

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce had another one of his trademark long catches on Sunday, recording a 39-yarder, along with a 16-yard and 19-yard reception, totaling 74 yards on his three catches. A week after seeing a season-high in targets, with the return of Michael Pittman Jr., the 24-year-old had the third-most targets on the day for the Colts with four. With the performance, the former second-round pick maintained his team-lead in receiving yards with 590, 23 yards more than Josh Downs (567). Pierce figures to see similar target share and air yards next week against the Lions which will leave him in the WR4/5 range.